{
  "id": 7374436,
  "title": "Redditor finds RTX 3070 graphics cards worth $5,000 in abandoned crypto mining rigs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/redditor-finds-rtx-3070-graphics-cards-worth-5-000-in-abandoned",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-14T18:47:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechSpot",
    "slug": "techspot",
    "url": "https://www.techspot.com/news/113835-redditor-finds-rtx-3070-graphics-cards-worth-5000.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Redditor has discovered two abandoned crypto mining rigs in a basement, which include a dozen valuable graphics cards. The hardware also contains two 4GB DDR4 memory modules, a couple of 120GB SSDs, old power supplies, and Z390 motherboards from MSI's gaming lineup. The poster, a Mac user with no PC building experience, found the GPUs, motherboards, and other components while salvaging the rigs. The GPUs were manufactured by Zotac and are all from the same batch. The motherboards are part of MSI's MPG Z390 Gaming Plus series, designed for gamers and overclockers. The power supply unit is a 1000W Gold-rated Rosewill PSU. The poster was unable to provide details about the processors used in the rigs, but one of the images shows an Intel cooler, suggesting at least one of the rigs was powered by an Intel CPU.\n\nThe crypto mining rigs were last used for Ethereum mining during the Covid era and were decommissioned as domestic crypto mining became financially unviable. The owner, who had purchased the rigs from the original builder, no longer required them and gave them away. The Redditor noticed minor silicone bleeding on most of the GPUs, a common issue that generally does not damage the PCB. The cards can likely be salvaged by cleaning the affected areas with isopropyl alcohol and replacing damaged thermal pads with new ones before reinstalling them in a PC. The RTX 3070 graphics cards, which power these rigs, were launched in October 2020 and have an original launch price of $500. On the second-hand market, they are available for $350-$450, making the 12 units worth close to $5,000 if they are in perfect working condition.",
  "summary": "According to images posted by CelebrationIll9568 on the /pcmasterrace subreddit, all 12 GPUs were built by Zotac. The motherboards are part of MSI's MPG Z390 Gaming Plus lineup, designed specifically for gamers and overclockers. One of the PSUs is a 1000W Gold-rated unit from Rosewill, but the brands and specifications... Read Entire Article",
  "key_points": [
    "Redditor finds abandoned crypto mining rigs in basement",
    "12 RTX 3070 graphics cards discovered, each $500 original price",
    "Rigs decommissioned post-Covid, worth ~$5,000 in second-hand market"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}